In today’s rapidly evolving public sector landscape, the ability to make informed, data-driven decisions is more critical than ever. For instance, using data gathered on water quality can be used for planning and designing environmental interventions to keep pollutants out of groundwater. Many agencies may implement data-driven decisions to improve citizen services, cutting down on response times and improving the quality of those servic...

An Overview of FERS & Different Types of RetirementTypes of service used for determining eligibility to retire under FERSEmployee and agency contributions to FERSMilitary service and temporary timeThe FERS annuity computationMinimum age and service requirementsEarly retirementDeferred retirement and “postponed” retirement Understanding the Annuity ComputationAmount of an annuityLength of service and unused sick leaveHigh-3 aver...

An Overview of FERS & CSRS SurvivorshipDifferences between the two retirement systems’ benefitsQualifying relativesCost of electing benefitsWhat forms should be filled out to ensure qualifying relatives receive the survivorshipOther Information for FERS & CSRS AnnuitantsSpousal Survivor annuities (including former spouses)Cost to give an insurable interest survivor annuityInformation about the basic employee death benefitChild an...

The United States leads the world in adopting 5G technology for communications and wireless internet access, thanks to its high speed, low latency, and increased bandwidth access. This has provided a huge boost to digital transformation in both the public and private sectors. For instance, the rapid adoption of edge computing can be attributed to 5G’s superior qualities. The spread of 5G was accelerated by the pandemic, as agencies and b...

An Overview of How Federal Benefits are TaxedFERS AnnuityCSRS AnnuityTSP Withdrawals from both Traditional and Roth TSP accountsSurvivor BenefitsEd reviews how the IRS treats each of these items for Federal Employees. Other Tax Planning Topics to ConsiderThe taxation of Social Security Benefits, how much the state you live in impacts your net amount of income, and which states have the highest and lowest property tax rates The 2017 Tax LawHow...

An Overview of Financial Planning for Federal EmployeesSetting goalsPractical considerationsProjecting future income needsHow much money will you need saved when you retire?How do your retirement benefits come into play?The Retirement “Tripod”CSRS and FERS annuities, plus military pensionsSocial Security benefitsTSP, IRAs, and other savings/investmentsEd thoroughly explores all 3 components! Other Information to ConsiderHealth Insu...

In today's fast-paced digital environment, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) faces complex challenges in maintaining robust IT operations and ensuring the security of critical infrastructure. This webinar delves into the transformative potential of Splunk IT Service Intelligence (ITSI) to streamline and enhance IT operations within DHS. Join us as we explore how Splunk ITSI’s advanced analytics, machine learning capabilities, and...

PlanWell Financial's 3 Hour Federal Retirement Webinar for FERS employees: Federal retirement workshops designed to cover every benefit in only 3 hours. We have cut out all the unrelated content that causes these retirement workshops to drone on for 8 hours or even 2 full days. If we haven’t answered your question, one of our Chartered Federal Employee Benefits Consultants (ChFEBC) will personally answer them for you at no cost. All atte...

An Overview of the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)Contributions and how they work, including limits and getting the biggest matchWays to maximize tax savingsThe main differences between Roth and Traditional TSP accountsUnderstanding the Different FundsAn overview of the five main TSP funds (G, F, C, S, & I) and the Lifecycle (or “L” Funds), plus tips for developing an effective investment strategy that matches your time horizon, risk...

It has been one year since the issuance of the Executive Order on AI, and the landscape has been evolving rapidly, both in the public and private sectors. Federal agencies have successfully implemented pilot programs and gained insights into challenges, risks and opportunities for “making AI real.” For many agencies, the leap into the world of artificial intelligence (AI) may seem unachievable. Even those with well-resourced...